CHAPTER 21
Hutch got no further down the hall than the vending machine. Poised there, money in hand, Dobey stood trying to decide which candy bar to purchase. The black man grumped when he saw his detective and shoved the money back into his pocket.
"Where's Starsky? There's a case that just came across my desk." He waved the folder in front of Hutch, waiting for the man to take possession of it.
Wordlessly, the blond opened it to the top report and began scanning it as the two men walked back toward the squad room.
"Cap, Starsky went home for the day. We'll be ready to start tomorrow. But I'll go down and interrogate this guy myself." Sitting down on the chair he grabbed a pencil, underlining a word or two that caught his attention.
Standing next to the desk, Dobey hesitated, wanting to ask about Starsky but realized that Hutch was already absorbed with the description of the murder and the suspect he was to interview. The Captain wiped his handkerchief across his face as he went back to his office.
Hutch looked up at the clock, realized he'd been reading through the file for an hour. Knowing that the intended celebration at Huggy's was a thing of the past, he reached toward the phone to dial Starsky's number. No answer after eight rings. That meant his friend was brooding at home and chose not to answer, or he was out looking for Ronnie. Either way, the blond didn't worry because he knew that Starsky would wander in to the squad room tomorrow at the normal time, reach for coffee and ask about their current case; the confrontation from the day before, forgotten.
Hutch was right about Starsky brooding. The dark-haired man had spent time driving around, looking for Ronnie without success. By the time he got home, he was wondering how he could have been so wrong about the young boy. He really had wanted to help him but he had to admit that his friend was right, he'd been conned.
He was still lounging on the couch, his arm over his eyes when the phone rang. He didn't move and counted eight rings before it finally stopped. He had been angry but now he realized it was because Hutch had been right. He sat up, sighed and reached for his beer. One long swallow later, he set the empty bottle on the coffee table and got up to pace around the apartment. He circled to the kitchen for another beer then settled down to watch an old movie on T.V. He propped his feet on the furniture in front of him as the movie started. Taking small sips of the amber brew, he quickly became engrossed in the old monster movie.
His eyes blinked open and he didn't immediately understand that he'd been asleep. He yawned and looked at the snowy T.V. screen. Finally the ringing made sense to his sluggish awareness. Sitting up, he reached for the phone.
"Yeah?" The word came out heavy with sleep. He cleared his throat and repeated the greeting, this time with a little more energy.
"Hello?" Reaching over to turn off the T.V. he also checked his watch. The early hour was proof he'd fallen asleep in the middle of the movie. Now as he glanced out the window, the first light of morning colored the horizon a dusky pink.
"Umm … it's me, Ronnie."
Yesterday's event came back to Starsky, reminding him of the argument with his partner, the fact that he'd ignored Hutch's phone call and most of all, he wondered what was up with the young boy.
"Sorry about not meeting you. I… couldn't."
"It's okay. I guess I shoulda known you wouldn't want to meet at a police station. I tried looking for you, but I don't know where you live." That sounded awkward to Starsky. He had never asked the boy where he stayed when he wasn't at Merle's. But it couldn't be much of a place to live…. just a place to hang out more likely.
"Starsky, I'm…" Ronnie stopped. He hated to admit that he was afraid. He hated the fact that he needed somebody. Diaz' threat echoed in his head. The older boy wanted Starsky but Ronnie still didn't want to get the man involved. The young teen had tried leaving but he wanted his lighter back and the only way he knew to accomplish that was to face Diaz.
Hearing the boy sniffle, made Starsky wince. He pushed his hand through his hair.
"Where are you?" He knew the boy was afraid and maybe that would be to Starsky's advantage. He could help and at the same time, get him into a program that was right for the young homeless teen. He still wanted to be involved but wasn't sure he should go any further on his own. Admitting that Hutch and Dobey were right, Starsky prepared himself to back away but when Ronnie sniffled again, it went straight to the dark-haired man's heart. He knew he wouldn't be able to refuse whatever was asked of him.
Ronnie didn't answer. Frustrated, Starsky searched for a way to help Ronnie open up with him.
"C'mon kid. We can figure something out." He stood up, stretching the phone cord to its full length, pacing.
Encouraged that his friend still seemed to care, Ronnie hesitated only a minute more then spoke in a rush, the words tumbling out.
"Would ya meet me? I promise I'll come this time. But could it be at the playground where the gang fight was? I like it there." He was not willing to tell his friend about Diaz. He still believed that nothing would happen to either of them. He just wanted an adult to help him get his lighter back. Besides, he hadn't seen Diaz in several days, so the guy had just been all hot air. He succeeded in scaring him but with Starsky around, nothing worse could happen to him.
Deciding that there needed to be a compromise, Starsky laid out a plan that would be good for both of them. He heard fear in the boy's words and understood that Ronnie was lonely and wanted help finding his way to be part of a family again.
"I'll meet ya there but you gotta do something for me too. When I pick you up, you come back to the police station and I'll help you get set up with a social worker. That's the only way this is gonna work. I want to help you but this is the way it's gotta be." Prepared for protest or at the very least, anticipating the line to go dead, he was relieved when Ronnie agreed.
"Okay."
"Hutch and me will…" Not given an opportunity to set up a time, Ronnie broke in with his own conditions.
"No! Just you. I don't like him and he don't like me neither."
"No problem. But he sure is happy with his car. He's not so bad once you get to know him. You'll see." Starsky smiled into the phone. Thinking about Kiko and what these two boys could learn from each other, he just wanted to believe that things would work out for everyone.
They agreed on a time and before hanging up, Starsky emphasized the importance of the meeting.
"Look, I'm willing to help you, but don't back out again. You can trust me, but I gotta know that I can trust you too. Understand?"
Ronnie flipped his hair back off his face. He wasn't really lying when he'd said he'd go with Starsky; it just might not be today. So he crossed his fingers behind his back as he promised to show up.
But suddenly he knew he wasn't alone. The hairs on the back of his neck prickled.
